Grabbing Ika some satay in Seminyak Bali

When I’m running late and need to pick Ika up some food, I know one thing that is a sure fire hit. Satay. Balinese say ‘sate’, which is no worries, because it sounds the same. All I had to do was ride down Jl. Seminyak, just past Bintang on the left side, and in one of the little market areas that goes back fm the street, was a guy with a smoking satay stall.

This evening there were several customers in front of me, so I put in my order and sat at the outside table, on one of his plastic chairs. Street vendors sometimes have a table pushed up agaisnt the wall with the tiny plastic stalls, they all love out here.

My order was 20 sticks of chicken satay, in thick peanut sauce, with a dash of salt and garlic. I told him to withold the cabe (chili) as Ika is still breast feeding. A choice of steamed rice or lontong, the cooked rice compacted and into a roll, then cut into chunks, was included. She prefers lontong, so that’s what I ordered.

The owner of the stall was about 45 and his young assistant, fanning furiosly, must of been 22. Togther they created clouds of spicy smoke and some tastey snacks for patient Balinese locals to carry away. When my satay came off of the grill, the older guy grabbed the 20 sticks, and expertly daubed them with the thick sauce, that had been placed in the center of a brown paper packet. After a few swipes, he wrapped them and handed them to me in a plastic bag. My 20 sticks plus lontong, was 10,000rp. Ika was pleased.

Many of the satay vendors have been chased away to the nightmarket, as local banjars prefer to tax them for using the street.